Guilty until proved innocent

Irish priests struggle, feeling tarred by sins of the minority

Father Martin O'Hagan, his brother Father Eugene O'Hagan and Father David Delargy sing inside San Jeronimo el Real Church in Madrid, Spain. While they are enjoying being famous, many other priests in Ireland feel they must hide from the limelight because of allegations of abuse against a minority of priests; some of these allegations are false.

Father Damien McGroarty, 29, is one of the youngest diocesan priests in Ireland. Ordained just over a year ago, he should still be at the honeymoon stage of his vocation.